Vertonghen - "I would like to stay at Tottenham"

As previously reported Jan Vertonghen is staying at Tottenham. Barcelona had him down on a stand by list if they couldn't acquire their prime targets.

The Belgian international has confirmed to Belgian radio station, Radio 1, that he is happy to stay at Spurs and is in talks to extend his contract.

“I still had a four-year contract but I see that they have offered me a new five-year contract as a great sign of confidence. It goes without saying that I would like to stay at Tottenham."

Vertonghen's representatives and Tottenham started discussions before the World Cup on a new contract and it is now nearing completion, hence Vertonghen appearing to have only just heard about the improved offer.

He still has a desire for Champions League football which he had hoped to have been playing now for Spurs, however things didn't go to plan so Vertonghen decided after Mauricio Pochettino's appointment that he would give it another year at least.

The senior players at the club wanted Pochettino appointed and those that have trained with him at happy despite it being harder than they are used to. The World Cup players will get their first taste of him this week and Vertonghen will have to ensure his ankle injury clear up for the start of the new season.

"I walked into the World Cup match against Argentina with an ankle injury. But I want to treat it carefully, because last season I was suffering from one injury to another, I definitely want to avoid that.”

Starting the season with a niggling injury is asking for it to get worse and Tottenham can ill afford injured centre-backs having been unable to bring in any new replacements yet. The fee for Chiriches appears to be the stumbling block over any more and a severance package for Dawson.

Spurs will of course want replacements lined up and it is believed they have agreed terms with a young centre-half leaving room for a more experienced 25 or 26-year-old. First choices Héctor Moreno has a broken leg and Dejan Lovren prefers Liverpool.